NEW YORK, NEW YORK, August 12, 2014 (American Bazaar): The BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir was inaugurated in Robbinsville, New Jersey, by Pramukh Swami Maharaj and senior Sadguru Swamis of BAPS, on Sunday. The inauguration of this traditional stone mandir marks the completion of the second phase of the Swaminarayan Akshardham complex that is currently planned for the site. The mandir is 133 feet long and 87 feet wide, comprising of 98 pillars and two domes 30 feet wide and 34 feet high, according to a press release. The Mandir is made entirely of Italian marble and was completed in three years at a cost of $18 million.
The inauguration festivities, spanning over two weekends, included a yagna or Vedic ritual for world peace and the murti pratishta rituals or ceremonies to invoke the spirit of the Deity’s into the murtis or sacred images. Prior to the consecration ritual that took place on Sunday, after which the murtis were to reside permanently in their shrines, they were taken on a festive procession around the complex. As the culminating event of these celebrations, the Mandir was officially inaugurated in a Vedic ceremony performed by BAPS Swamis in the presence of Pramukh Swami Maharaj. It is the sixth traditional BAPS Mandir of its kind in North America.
Two members of Hinduism Today’s team, editor Paramacharya Sadasivanathaswami and Sannyasin Senthilnathaswami, were guests at the event.
According to one news report out of India, so many people flew to this event in New Jersey from India that airlines had raised ticket prices!